Container packaging apparatus



Nov. 3, 1953 R. A. SMITH CONTAINER PACKAGING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 10. 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A INVENTOR. RICHARD A. SMITH.

HIS ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 3, 1953 Filed Aug. 10. 1951 R. A. SMITH CONTAINER PACKAGING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. RICHARD A. SMITH.

HIS ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 3, 1953 R. A. SMITH 2,657,845

CONTAINER PACKAGING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 10, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEAITOR. RICHARD A. SMITH.

HIS ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 3, 1953 s n- 2,657,845

CONTAINER PACKAGING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 10, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I INVENTOR. :I 2 RICHARD A.SM|TH.

5 WWW H\S ATTORNEYS.

NOV. 3, 1953 s rr 2,657,845

CONTAINER PACKAGING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 10, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. RICHARD A. SMITH. BY

HIS ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 3, 1953 um'rsa mm ewes Richard A. Smith, Pittsburgh, Pa.,

' Feminists-tamper 'ti eflienesr van Applicationhug ust 10, 1951, SeriaiNo, 2511,2 21

3. aims,

'Hhis invention is: for an apparatus ton inserting containers into packages or cartons having partitions or cellsv therein so as to place one container in each cell.

The invention has special application to the pac aging of filled: bottles, as for example, bottles'ofketchup or vinegar, into cardboard ships ping' car-tons, These cartons are constructed withv crossing partitions, dividing the interior into cells, eaohone-ofi which isdesigned tosnugly receive and hold a singlebottle. I he invention will be: particularly described in connection with such use, but it is also applicable-.toputting other sealed containers, or likarticles, into such shippin receptacles 50- divided;

In the operations for which this invention is especiallyapplicable, bottles arefilledand-sealed; and then delivered to a labeling-machine where paperlabels are applied to-the containers, While the labels are still moist, the containers are carried to the packing station to be put into the cantons. Of course, this operation iroceeds at a relatively high speed Formerly; the-bottles were placed in the cantons individually by h-and labor.

Even with hand packing, the labels might be rubbed against the cell walls erpartitions'and damaged. Machines have been deyeloped; for collecting the required number Qff bottles into groups, and then the bottles dropped into a carton, falling a suflicient v they had enough momentum to drop to overcome thefiriction or the cell Walls and cause the bottle to. fully enterthe case. Such machines cause frequent breakage that not onlt means a loss of the contents of the containers, but also damages the carton and requires the rehandli-ng Off the other bottles, in the carton. Damage to the labels is also incident to this type etmachine.

Other machines have been I k M the. bottles. are grouped: on a conveyor and an operatorthen places an inverted carton over the group of bottles and presses it down. The bottles enter the cells top end, or neck end first, which is or assistance in slipping the inverted carton over the bottle, but the bottles are initially'in contact with one. another and the partitions. in. the car-ton must be relied: upon to spread them apart as the carton is pushed down. This is; likel t result in extensive damage to h labels un ess bottle are used hay-insammer beadsabo e and. below the label:

The pre en inventi n. perta ns. ta apparatus o t at pe vi Isi hv t e a ton s inv rted and sli eee ever he ors of; the bottles It. has for s, o ect and ero ides. however, forthe. sera:

distanceto assure that l assignor to ration of the bottles in such manner as. toavoid damage to, the labels. It, further provides. a unique arransement. forinverting the car o aiten they have been slipped over, the. bottles. and for jarring the. bottles into. the CQIZtQHS; after the. inverted carton has. been partially applied over the bottles.

Among other.- oln'ects of: the invention,- are the provisionof.= means. for arranging, the: bottleslinto groups oi the. requisite number, and; isolating, a grouplfrorn. succeeding bottles, and: the provision ot a. machinewhich is, readily adapted. for, ink..- ins'caneoi; d-iirerentsiaed bottles, For example. the machine. may. be adjusted for; usewith. quar vinesarbottles, nintninegarbQttles, ketchup-11 i:- tzlss. eta, depend n upon thelpaclsthat is re.- qn nedl to run.

Another feature; 0? the invention is, the. auto.- mati o itionine Q bqt les. so; that cartons ha na nd nidqali cel s for each. bottle may be. easily and; quio lx OM81, he bottles. with each bottle! in its nrqpercell; to. permit the packagin of, a lasso number oi bottles.- per: minute.

Keiqliiie bot es which narrow 1. k.-, it as. bee ioundof. r at si t agse. to an. perator, to s parate; an. assembled mien emun of bottles. from the. assembly. line to allow carton, be: placed: oyerthe. group.

Accordingl an ther object of; the invention is. to. provide a. mechanism, to, more a, carton filling groupofbottles on a table a shortdistance away from the. assembly line. tofacilitate positioninga carton over-the group and then after a carton has. been placed on the bottles discharging: the loaded carton from the table,

i ve ti e. may be more iili wa ers 1 09.91. 9) WEEK? 12 1 9 iQQQ QRQRXiK g raw n s; Whql r 1n:

E s. a. Vi w id e s eiisr if. a reek-a in ma hine smear ng the rreie ed 9 m 9f. the in s ee 1,; s as M? Phi; is t 9f the Pat sserie me.- cliin 113. Fi -.15;

Fi 3; a front. e ev i onel view the Ba h in machine ofi=1?is- 1';

Fig. 4 is a detailed view: in side elevatio sho me the tilting table for turning. a. loaded carto of ilfirfi upside down, to position. the carton tor having the flaps. on the bottom.- thereof lued into closed position;

Fig. 51s a view in side elevatipn. or the tilted 3 table illustrating the turning of a filled carton upside down;

Fig. 6 is a detailed view in side elevation illustrating the assembly and spacing of bottles on the tilting table;

Fig. '1 is a view in side elevation, and Fig. 8 is a view in end elevation of the entrance ends of the distributing plates used for systematically arranging scrambled containers in position for packaging;

Fig. 9 is a detailed view in side elevation showing the position of the tilting table for receiving a carton when filling the carton with short neck bottles;

Fig. 10 is a view in side elevation showing the stop mechanism for the tilting table;

Fig. 11 is a view in side elevation, and Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the movable table stop;

Fig. 13 is a view in end elevation;

Fig. 14 is a view in side elevation of the table stop cam; and

Fig. 15 is a detail plan view of the tilting table.

The container packaging machine illustrated in the drawings is arranged to receive containers which have been filled and sealed or capped while in a scrambled condition. The scrambled containers are then advanced into the path of distributing plates for distributing the containers in lanes or rows to arrange them to be placed in a carton containing cells. A tilting table is arranged at the end of the distributing conveyor and containers are positioned on the table in an arranged order for guiding the containers into the cells of the carton. If the containers are bottles, the carton with an open top is placed over the top of the bottles, and when the carton has been pushed in position, a switch is arranged to move the tilting table to turn the carton upside down and land it upon a conveyor belt which will conduct it to a gluing machine for gluing the bottom flaps of the carton. The packaging operation is carried on continuously and a single operator may place the cartons over the arranged bottles in order to package ketchup, for example, at the rate of six hundred bottles per minute.

The packaging machine is supported upon a table 16 which consists of channel irons l6 extending longitudinally of the table and resting on a post 20 at each end, Figs. 1 and 3. Longitudinal braces 22 and transverse braces 24 extend between the posts near the base thereof.

The main conveyor belt 26 is mounted to run over substantially the entire length of the top of the table. The belt runs over rollers 26 which are supported on shafts 36 journaled between the channel beams 16 at each end thereof. The belt is preferably a woven wire belt having a herringbone weave such that the belt will run continuously, and, if the containers are stopped from movement with the belt, the action of the belt on the base of the containers will tend to urge the containers forward in a direct line without causing transverse movement of the containers. This construction is important in maintaining the containers in direct lines for moving them onto the tilting loading table. Belt tightners 32 are mounted at each side of the table for the purpose of adjusting the shaft 36 to keep the belt tight and properly positioned upon the rolls 26.

The conveyor belt is driven by a motor 34 which is supported on channels 36 secured to the longitudinal braces 22, Fig. 1. A pulley 36 is secured to the motor shaft and a belt 46 runs between the pulley 36 and a pulley 42 secured to the shaft of a speed-reducing mechanism 46, Fig.

2. The speed-reducer has a shaft 44 upon which is mounted a sprocket 46 and a sprocket chain 46 runs between the sprocket 46 and a sprocket secured to the end of a shaft 36 iournaled in the rear end of the table l6. A hand wheel 56 is mounted below the motor 34 by which the speed-reducer 43 may be adjusted for varying the speed of the conveyor belt 26.

The loaded containers are advanced upon the conveyor belt 26 into an assembly section 52. The assembly section is confined between guides 54 which are mounted to be adjusted transversely of the belt in order to position the containers so that they will advance into two, four or six lanes to prepare them for movement upon the tilting table. When the containers reach the section 52 they have no definite arrangement, but the containers leaving the section 52 advance in rows. The rows being arranged by distributing plates 56, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Seven plates are positioned above the belt with their front ends projecting into the assembly section 52. The plates 56 are suspended from cross bars 56, 66 and 62, Fig. 2, which are mounted in frames 64 supported on the channels 16 at each side of the table l6. The transverse bar 62 is fixed in positon on the frame 64 and the plates 56 have a pivotal mounting in the bar 62. The transverse bars 66 and 56 are movably mounted upon the frames 64 and the plates 56 are pivoted to move with the bars 60 and 56.

An oscillating movement across the belt is imparted to the plates by means of a motor 66, Fig. 2, which is mounted on a frame 64 adjacent the front end of the plates 56. A cam 66 is seccured to a shaft 16 extending outwardly from a speed-reducing mechanism 12 connected with the motor 66. The cam 66 receives a yoke 13 attached to the end of the bar 56. The cam 66 is eccentric and imparts a reciprocating movement to the bar.

The belt 26 constantly urges the container in the section 52 forwardly and the oscillating plates 56 tend to move the containers into position to enter a lane between the plates. After the containers enter the lanes, they move forwardly in rows and advance to a stop 14 at the rear end of the table l6, Figs. 1, 4 and 5.

As shown in Fig. 2, the ends of the plates 56 are not in a common plane, but alternate plates extend different distances toward the assembly section 52. This arrangement of plates is necessary when aligning containers which have flat sides. For example, ketchup bottles are octagonal, and other bottles are hexagonal. If the ends of the plates were in a common plane, some of the plates would tend to move against the flat portions of the bottles, and their distribution in the lines would be interferred with. By having the plates extend different distances in the line of travel, the flat surface bottles are properly arranged in the lanes. With circular bottles the ends of the plates 56 may be in a common plane, and still have the bottles properly distributed in the lanes.

As the containers are presented to the packaging machine, they contain labels. Generally, the containers advance from a label machine to the packaging machine so that the labels may have been newly applied and are easily removed. To avoid disturbing the labels on the containers, the plates 56 have a cut-out portion I6 in the front ends thereof which is in the position of the label on the containers. Therefore, the container will engage the front end of the plates 56 either below 5. orabovethe-positioniotthelahel on thecontainer. or further assist the, plates in. their oscillating movement. in distributing the, containers; in: the IanesLbeadsJB, Figs: 7 and-.8, aresecured tothe bottom oi-the platesinorden toengage roundedhottom. containers and: assist in me ins; them into position where they: will enter the lanes. Ihe beads furthermore help to: protect the,- labels. so that; they will not be-injuredrby the ends of the plates. st

Thecontainersarre advanced from thelanes between theplates ontoatilting tableand arranged in proper positionato receive a packaging canton. The tilting.- talole is, shown more particularly in Figs. 2, 4 ldandifil The'table'consists of a convex plate 80.- which. is secured. to brackets; 82- mounted on a. tubular member. 84. The tubular member 84 isrotatably mounted on a shaft 85 which extends-between channels l-8 at; each side of the table. In accordance with the size of the container and the number of containers. to. be placedina carton, aseries 01: plates 88 are mounted on.- the plateififl to-accurately space the containers-to. receive the carton. The end plate. fiiihasastop9fl which-limitsthe'movement of the containers advanced. from. the conveyor belt. The stop being adjustabl by means of washers 12-; to-provide any desired position, of the containers.. As shownin, Figs 2, a. series of slots 94 are formed in. the plate-8ll to receive bolts by which the; plates 88 may be: attached to the plate 80. Furthermore; across the: plates 88: are mounted guidesti which: form extensions of the plates 58 for arranging. the: containers in: rows across the table, For-difienentsizesofcontainers, the plates 56;. thereuides 9t and plates Bitmust, be arranged and; adjusted.

After a cartonrhas been placed over a group of; containers or bottles,gthe loaded carton is turned upside;towniandireceiuedronra conveyor-belt; The table: ia tiltedi meanest" pneumatic. plunger- 98 which is pivoteditpazbrachet mozsecured betw en theposts; it at thez'rear end of the; supporting, table. 'Eheopera-ting;v mechanism: for the pneumatic: plungzenin. illustrated in Fig; 1; andv 3: Air for operating: the plunger: is; received through a lime I112 and passes through Pressure regulating valvewmit. 'Ilhe: airflowsfirom. the.- valves I04. through a line I06 to a four-way valve I08. The values |:0& is; operatedby: means;- of; solenoids LI 0 and H 2: which are: mounted at. each-side oi he valve. 'Aiir item the valve Hi8 flows. tbiwu 'h a line l:l:4\ to. make. 3i connection with; the: lower endof the phmgencylinder' 9,6. 1 A second; air line.- tl 6. connected; with the valve 1.0.8 isconnected with a Hi8 t9} supply airthrougha line imrto thc upper end of. the; plunger. cylinder 93.. The lunen has a. piston rod. 1.2-2. extending upwardly to connect with, arms. 124. which. are secured to. the sleeve. 84. Therefore, when the piston rod. is moved downwardly. by introducing air into the, upper end of the plungercylinder; the table willbetilted to the position illustrated in Fig; 5-. When. the table has'been tilted far enough to over-balance the filled carton-,the carton will be thrown upside down and land upon a conveyorbeltvli28, positioned in-front oi the table 6. The conveyor 1-26 is mountedon springs. I 28? so; that the conveyor belt will yield under the impactv of the filled container'striking the. belt to. preventthccontainers from? being broken. Furthermore; theconveyor belt 116: is preferably: made of; fabric, impregnated rubber, and the belt is; arranged with refierence to the-Packaging machi-ncto'provide a. longv spar-1.520. that; the,- belt; canyield under the r end 0! the: plunger 6. impe tof'the filledrcontainers. without danser o; break ng;slass bottlesicr.exemplar;

When a carton has been filled with containers; the. ta e: is put into tiltin op ration. my a. footoperated; electric switch in whichiiszmounbcdzat thereanend: at the table: l-8.; Fig 1:. isclosed by theiootof anoperatorwho-is ngaged in: placing? the; cantons over; the arranged con, tainors onrthe table: when the: switch unis depressed, a solenoid. I L will operate,1thc.-valva tov admit. air to the; uppen-endof thev plun er- Theplun crrwililimpart a dir ct: oscillating move ment to. the; table: to; dischar e he fi led. can! tainerfrom; the table; The tiltines oy ment. or thetabieis: limited bymeans oi'rar z nn- BAKE; 1:. which. ismou-nted: onga channel. I 3 of the table in; the path: of: movement of the convex. plate, It; wh nthepla epflll', F has rmoveddownwardiy to. engage the stop- IQZ; a; switch; I354 connc md witnthestop linwill; be actuated to, ner ize the solenoid: Izlrtfor the; urpose. of supply ng-flir s the. lower end of the plungerior' moving the table baclo into leading position. when an is introduced through the line I I 4 to move the tahie back into loading position, the air acts; the piston:in:theplungercontinuouely untilrthe switch ['30 is again operated to,- tilt-the table, The;- 8.41? thus: acts to positively hold the table-Jim leadin position, as illustrated? in Fig. 4.

At the time the table is tilted; the stop 14' is moved up into: the path 0ft theme! tainers moving through. the lanes; between the plate 56. This upward. movement is; Obtained by means of a pneumatic plunger I135; Ri a; 1*. 3 and 4. The lower end: or" the plunger lzifi is connected by means 01'. an: air line; I: which extends from the fitting Ht tothebottom; 01," the plunger. Ail-the time. thatair is.- introduced into the plunger 98 for tilting the table, air is simultaneously introduced into thezbohtom 0f the plunger- I 38 to force the piston. rodx- 1:40.- upwardly to push the stopv M. above the top of. the belt 218" on the table-i As: illustrated in: Figs. 1' and 3; a; needle valve I421 is. connected with the upper I36 by' which'ain may slowly leak tram the plunger: to. prevent; excess press sure being placed upon the piston rod; The table; plate normally: rests upon the top at tl estep= M and acts: to: move fihe plunger down. against the action of the piston. When the table islifted during the ti-Itingmption the. pressure applied bythe piston rod rwwm: automatb callymovcthe stop; Mintothe path of movement or the containers advancing through. the lanes, Therefore, the movement of? the table upwardly will permit the stop tomove intostoppingposi tion and. the. positive movement oil table downwardly intoioading position by the plunger so wilt force: the stop down, thug permitting the containers to advance onto! the table as soon. as the table reaches the leading position "When the: solenoid H22; isv operated to cut-oilfthe air from the line. M6; the pressure on the piston rod it and step; 1.4: is removed and: airescapee Ironx the plunger cylinder. I

A carton. is. applied to bcttlessuch as ketchup bottles while the. table is in loading position as illustrated Fig; 41., It will. be seen that. the ketchup bot le has a l nevtaperme net-1r which allows an operator t readily place. an opencab All containers: not the same and asillustrated in Fig. 9-, a large vinegar bottle has a short. neck: and comparat velylaree dy. It has bea -11nd that. it rather an cult to position an empty carton bottles when the bottles are on the ing position.

Accordingly, when packaging vinegar bottles the table tilting operation i carried out in two steps. After the table has been filled with containers, the switch I50 is operated to tilt the table and when the table has been tilted through an arc of approximately 15, the table comes into contact with a stop I44 which is mounted on a channel It in the path of an arm I46 secured to the sleeve 84. When the loaded table comes to a stop to separate the loaded table from may be placed over vinegar table in loadmay be operated to actuate a solenoid I50 to withdraw the stop to permit the table to complete it tilting operation to the position illustrated in Fig. 5. The switch I40 is a spring pressed switch so that when pressure is released from the switch, the solenoid will be de-energized to permit a spring I52 to draw the stop I44 back into the path of the arm I46.

The stop I44 is shown more particularly in Figs. 11 and 12 and has a rectangular cross section which moves through a square opening I54 in the channel I6, Fig. 9. When the stop is withdrawn from the path of the arm I46, the continued movement of the table by means of the piston rod I22 will move the arm I46 past the stop and immediately the spring I52 will project the stop I44 into the path of the arm. An inclined face I54 is formed. on the stop I in the path of movement of the arm so that when the table is moving into loading position the arm strikes the inclined face I54 to force the stop back into the solenoid to allow the table to pass the stop. When the table is tilted, however, the arm strikes the top face of the stop to stop the movement of the table and the table will be held against the pulling pressure of the piston rod I22 until the solenoid I50 withdraws the stop from the path of the arm I46. The arm I46 has an inclined face I56 which engages the face I54 to reduce the friction in forcing the stop out of the path of the arm. The rear end of the arm I46 is curved at I58 to fit over the sleeve 64, the arm being secured in rigid position by welding the arm to the sleeve.

The two-step movement for tilting the table is only necessary for the convenience of the operator and for speeding up the operation of packaging short neck bottles. If the containers have a shape which will permit the carton to be readily placed thereon movement of the table is not required.

The electric power for operating the motors and solenoids is connected with switch box I60 and fuse box I62. The fuse box I62 is connected with a starter I64 for motor 34, and a starter I66 is for motor 66. The switch I30 is connected with the fuse box I62 and solenoid H0. The switch I34 is connected with the fuse box I62 and solenoid H2. The switch I46 is connected with the fuse box I62, and with the solenoid I50. When the solenoid H is put into operation, it holds the four-way valve in position to operate the table tilting plunger 98. When the solenoid II2 is put into operation, it opens the air supply valve I08 to operate the plunger 98 to return the table to loading position and maintains the air supply to exert pressure for holding the table in loading position until the switch I30 is again operated to energize solenoid IIO.

then the two-step in which the front end The packaging machine herein described and claimed is well adapted for packing containers in cartons, whether metal, glass or other material, in a single layer. The machine is particularly adapted for arranging containers so that they may be put readily in cells of a carton.

The preferred form of the invention having been thus described, what is claimed as new is:

l. A container packaging machine comprising a support, a conveyor belt mounted for movement in a closed cycle at the top of the support, means to move the conveyor, side guides at the front end of the conveyor belt for the heterogeneous assembly of containers, a series of distributing plates supported above the belt, said plates being sufllciently wide to arrange comparatively tall containers in upright position and being movably suspended in vertical position from one edge with the other edge closely adjacent the belt and spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width of the container being packaged, means to oscillate the front ends of the plates transversely of the belt to guide containers from the assembly station into the lanes arranged between the plates, a tiltable table mounted at the rear end of the belt with its upper surface in alignment with the top of the belt to receive containers from the belt, positioning means on the table arranged to assemble a definite number of containers from the belt in position for the insertion of a carton thereover. means for tilting the table to discharge a loaded carton therefrom upside down, a yieldably mounted conveyor positioned to receive the discharged carton, a stop mounted at the front edge of the table, and means to move the stop in front of 1c rows of containers on the belt to hold back the containers while the conveyor continues to operate as the table is tilted.

2. The packaging machine defined in claim 1 in which the front end of the distributing plates are provided with a notch arranged to prevent engagement of the plates with the containers in the area of the labels on the containers.

3. The packaging machine defined in claim 1 of the distributing plates are provided with a bead to engage the bottoms of containers to align them in rows between the plates.

4. The packaging machine defined in claim 1 in which the tilting table has a convex upper surface to spread the upper portions of the containers apart to arrange the containers to receive a carton having a cell for each container.

5. The packaging machine defined in claim 1 in which the tilting table is tilted by a doubleacting, air-operated piston against which the air acts while the table is in loading position to positively hold the table in loading position.

6. The packaging machine defined in claim 5 in which air pressure lines are connected with each end of the double acting piston, and a manual control valve in the air line is operated to tilt the table for discharging a packed carton of containers.

7. The packaging machine defined in claim 6 in which the tilting movement of the table is composed of two steps, the first step consisting of a short table movement to bring an arm on the table against a stop to separate the containers on the table from the containers in the lanes over the belt to permit the carton to be placed over the containers, and the second step caused by the manual operation of a switch to withdraw 9 zthe setup to ipermit the tiltingzmovement.

L8. The :packaging zmachine :iiefined .:in ;claim 17 which :th'emir :pressure 'izemainscon theiplunger piston for tilting cthe table while against the stopiin-the first step of movement, and means are" provided to withdraw the stop ees-th ta e eldin ee itiee 9 pe mit {the plunger p stcnt emenleteth second s of the table tiltingmovement.

9. packaging machine idefined in claim '..6 iln which :a solenoid .operating .electric switch is :mountedron the support .in ithe math '10! :move- :mentzdtthe tahle-to operatezamair controlwa'lve to reverse the operation of the plunger piston to return the table from carton discharging tilted position to loading position.

10. The packaging machine defined in claim 9 in which the switch is adjustable in position to limit the amplitude of tilting movement to provide for reversing the table loaded with cartons of different sizes.

11. The packaging machine defined in claim 1 in which the positioning means on the table consists of side guides which form a continuation of the guide plates, and a back stop adjustably mounted on the table in the line of movement of the containers.

12. The packaging machine defined in claim 1 in which the stop for the containers on the belt is moved into the path of lanes of containers by an air-operated plunger piston and a manually controlled valve in the line for supplying air to the piston is actuated to supply air to the plunger piston simultaneously with the initiation of the operation of the table tilting mechanism.

13. The packaging machine defined in claim 12 in which air is applied to the container stop operating plunger to move the stop into container-stopping position during the entire tilting and return strokes of the table and an air-escape valve in the cylinder to permit air to escape from the cylinder of the stop-operating plunger to permit the table to positively engage and move the stop down when the table is returned to loading position.

14. The packaging machine defined in claim 13 in which the container stop is positioned under the front edge of the table by the plunger and moves up with the table when the table is tilted to discharge a loaded carton.

15. The packaging machine defined in claim 1 in which the conveyor belt is a woven wire belt with a herringbone weave which will slide under the containers without producing a movement of the containers transversely of the belt when the containers on the belt are held from movement by the stop.

16. In a packaging machine, a mechanism for assembling containers for packaging, and the upending of the loaded package comprises a conveyor belt mounted for cyclic movement at the top of the table, means mounted over the belt to arrange the containers to be packaged in rows of a single container width on the belt, a table having its front edge at the same level as the top of the belt, a series of guides on top of the table positioned to receive containers from the rows on the belt, a table container stop at the rear side of the table, said guides and stop being mounted to arrange containers to permit a carton having an individual cell for each container to be moved down over the containers and means to tilt the table about an axis transverse to the table xto complete zthe table is z" tric solenoid Operated .120 :he Imoved down by .the table ibelo-w tthezatable level :when cth'e table .is :moved into (loading posl- .tion. 1

'I9.':Hable .cperating nnechanism defined in icla'im 18 :in which .the ibelt container :stop .is imoyed uip into rs'topping :position :by :an -air .operated plunger piston having an air pressure connection at the bottom of the plunger to force the piston upwardly and a valve connected to the cylinder having a regulated opening to slowly to positively hold the stop while the table is tilted. 20. A table operating mechanism defined in claim 16 in which the table is tilted by a doubleacting piston, air supply lines connected to each end of the piston cylinder, a multi-passage elecvalve in the air supply lines, an electric switch to operate the solenoid valve to supply air to one end of the cylinder to move the table to carton-discharging position, and a switch mounted in the path of movement of the table to stop the table tilting movement and to operate a solenoid to operate the valve to supply air to the other end of the cylinder to potitively return the table to loading position.

21. The operating mechanism defined in claim 20 in which a piston connected with the belt conto the table tilting piston.

22. The table operating mechanism defined in claim 20 in which a table tilting stop is normally held by a spring in position to stop the used for moving the stop, controlled electric switch is connected with the solenoid to withdraw the table stop from the movement of the table as long as the solenoid is energized, and a cam is mounted on the table in position to move the stop out of tablestoppmg position during the return movement of the table from the tilted position to containerloading position.

23. The table operating mechanism defined in claim 20 in which the solenoid valve when operated to return the table to loading position maintains air pressure on the table tilting plunger to hold the table in loading position until the valve is operated to supply air for tilting the table.

24. The table operating mechanism defined in claim 20 in which an electrically operated solenoid stop is mounted below the table to engage and stop the table when it has tilted through a small arc to separate containers on the table away from the rows of containers on the belt and a manual electrically operated switch is connected with the table solenoid stop to release the table from the stop after a carton has been placed over the containers on the table.

25. The table operating mechanism defined in claim 24 in which the solenoids for controlling the two table tilting steps are actuated by manual controlled electric switches.

ii '12 26. A machine for placing containers in the caused to diverge upwardly when the containers cartons comprising a conveyor having a receivare grouped on said table, whereby a carton having end and a discharge end for transporting the ing individual container partitions may be readcontainers in upright position and having means ily placed over the group of containers, and a extending therealong and for arranging the con- 5 means for operating the stop.

tainers thereon in rows, a stop at the discharge HARD rm end of the conveyor movable into and out oi! a RIC s eontaiirrisr obstructing position for controllably R f n Cited m the m of this patent 'restra ng the containers against movement while the conveyor continues to operate, an as- 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS sembly table at the discharge end of the con- Number Name Date veyor for receiving a group of containers from 1,459,367 HaWes June 19, 1923 the conveyor, said table having a convex surface 2,013,555 Deeren Sept. 3, 1935 whereby the axes of the upright containers are 2,187,842 Rheinstlom 1940 

